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Dealing with industrial noise complaints

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 13 September 2017 08:31

So you've found your dream home in a beautiful location, only to move in and realise that there's an extremely loud factory or industrial unit close by that causes incessant sound pollution! This is, sadly, a common reality that many people find themselves in.

One commonly overlooked health impacter is noise pollution. “Noise pollution” is any unwanted or disturbing sound which can interfere with normal activities such as sleeping, conversation, communication, or disrupt or diminish one's quality of life.

The World Health Organization recently found that traffic noise alone is harmful to the health of almost every third person in Europe. One in five, they found, were exposed to nighttime sound levels that could significantly damage health. So living next to such a site could be seriously harming your health!

If it’s a temporary site, councils can serve a notice on people carrying out construction or demolition works and tell them how the work should be carried out to avoid a potential statutory noise nuisance.

Such a notice can specify any of the following:

the hours when work can be done

steps that need to be taken to minimise noise

a noise level

the plant or machinery that can be used

If, however, the building is permanent, you will need to do something about it. Factories, warehouses and other industrial plants have a responsibility to ensure that their building are soundproofed. This is not only for the residents surrounding, but also for the workers.

Industrial soundproofing is essential, because noise pollution is a serious problem which can lead to a costly reduction in performance by employees, increased absenteeism, distraction and stress levels and other health issues.

There are many methods for reducing sound pollution. Acoustic enclosures  can help to reduce the noise levels from industrial activity, including fixed plant in factories and outdoor plant on industrial estates.

Noise pollution can negatively impact the body in significant ways, including elevated blood pressure, impaired cognitive functioning, cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects, cause heart attacks, reduce performance, provoke changes in social behaviour and other effects of chronic stress. If you’re finding yourself effected, please contact your local government to find a solution.

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Bethany Pembrook

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